Street-curbing.



I E. BROWN.

STREET GURBING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 1911.

Patented July 15,1913.

am/uwwto'o Ira E. Brown q/Vi lmmeo 1 FFIQE.

IRA E. BROWN, OF EAST SPARTA, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

STBEET-CURBING. Y 4

Patented J uly 15, 1913.

Application filed August 7, 1911. Serial No. 642,722.

To all whom 2'1 may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA E. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Sparta, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Curbing, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in street curbing in which the curbing is made up of blocks produced by the usual process of burning or vitrifying clay or shale, the blocks being formed while in a plastic state and afterward treated in substantially the same manner as brick, such as paving brick or blocks. I

The objects of my invention are, first to provide means whereby curbing can be constructed in an easy manner, and second, to produce durable and lasting curbing at less expense than curbing made up of dressed stone. These objects together with other objects. readily apparent to those skilled in the art I attain by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, although my invention may be embodied in a variety of other mechanical forms, the construction illustrated being chosen by way of example.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my improved curbing. Fig. 2 is an end view of one of the inner blocks and a sectional view of one of the outer or brace blocks. Fig. 3 is an end view of a section of curbing, showing a slight modification from that illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 41 is an end View of one of the outer or brace blocks. Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the inner or street side blocks.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawing, 1 represents the inner or street blocks, which blocks are made of vitrified clay and are substantially of the form shown in the drawings. These blocks are provided with the integral flanges 2, which flanges are extended laterally from the body of the blocks and their under edges provided with grooves 3. The tops of the inner or street side blocks are curved downward and the tops of the flanges are also curved down, so that the tops of the blocks will be curved downward from the inner upper corners to the extreme outer edges of the flange.

For the purpose of providing means for properly bracing the street side blocks 1, the brace blocks 4: are provided which brace blocks are formed with inner straight faces and their outer faces curved downward and outward, thereby providing blocks that will have wide bases. The tops of the brace blocks i: are provided with the ribs 5, which ribs are formed of a size and shape to correspond with the size and shape of the grooves 3, and into which grooves the ribs 5 are to be seated. In placing the blocks in position it is desirable to first set the outer or brace blocks 1, and then place in posi tion the inner or street side blocks 1; by so doing the inner blocks can be hooked over the tops of the outer or brace blocks.

In some instances it may be desirable to form the inner or street side blocks in two sections as illustrated in Fig. 3. This is especially true where high inner blocks are necessary, not only for the purpose of reducing the size of the blocks so that they can be better vitrified, but also in handling or placing the blocks in position. It will also be understood that the upper section 6 shown in Fig. 3 is substantially the same in form as the street side blocks 1 shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. In the event the inner or street side blocks are made up in sections divided horizontally, lower sections 7 should be provided with a rib 8, which is seated in the groove 9.

In the construction of street curbing in cities it is desirable to have the tops of the curbing extended a short distance above the paving blocks 10 and upon country roads the tops of the inner blocks should be on practically the same horizontal line as the paving blocks 11, so that vehicles can pass to and from the paved portion of the street, owing to the fact that it frequently happens that strips of country roads are left unpaved, thereby reducing the expense of paving, but the streets in cities as a rule are paved their full width except the lawns at the sides of the streets.

In constructing the curbing the joints be tween adjacent ends of the inner and outer blocks should be broken or staggered as usual in constructions of brick work.

It will be understood that by placing the brace blocks 4: against the ground at the edge of the strip to be paved that said brace blocks will prevent any displacement of the inner or street blocks 1. It will also be understood that by curving the brace blocks 4 outwardly and downwardly that the ground will prevent any upward movement of said brace blocks. The outer faces of the inner or street blocks are curved downward and outward so as to provide means for assist-ing in holding the inner or street blocks in proper and relative position with reference to the outer or brace blocks.

By forming the inner or street blocks 1 of a height greater than the height of the brace-blocks at and by providing said inner blocks with the integral flanges 2 and placing said flanges over and upon the tops of the inner or brace blocks and by providin the tongue and grooves in the integra flanges and the brace blocks respectively, the brace blocks or the inner or street blocks are locked together so that there can be no relative movement as between the brace blocks and the inner or street blocks at their top or upper portions, by which arrangement the thrusts of vehicles in passing over the curbing will be upon both the brace and the inner blocks and owing to the fact that the inner blocks are looked upon the brace blocks there can be no slipping or pushing movement during the time vehicles are moving over and upon the curbing proper. The force of the thrust will be distributed to the bottoms of the brace and street blocks, thereby offering greater resistance to any force that may be brought at an angle to the curbing.

Having fully described my invention what I claim. as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a street curbing, the combination of inner blocks and outer brace blocks, the street paving located against the upper portions of the inner blocks upon their inner sides and the filling of the unpaved street located against the upper and outer portions of the inner blocks and said inner and outer blocks locked together at their top or upper ends, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

IRA E. BROWN.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SroNsnLLnR, F. W. BOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

